We also punish the hard working coaches, band leaders, choir directors and others who have worked all summer putting together their programs only to have some of their best participants knocked out at the crucial moment when they need them the most. There is no mercy for anyone!
The argument is that the children with learning disabilities can have an ARD meeting and get an IEP (Individual Education Plan). While this is being done the football season/marching band season, etc. is over. And what is accomplished is that we now have a child who “cannot fail.” This child now knows that he will receive whatever “accommodations” he needs to pass all subjects. He doesn’t really have to try at all anymore. We “punish” him by labeling him “special education” thus putting him in more of a double bind. This further adds to his sense of failure and inadequacy. But wait! We thought this law was passed to encourage children to work harder at their academics? It was designed to prevent them being passed without really achieving! Well, we have circumvented the very reason for the “no pass, no play” law and manage to destroy self-esteem in the process. The law has failed in it’s objective.
What about kids who don’t have parents who know to get them an IEP? Or who refuse? What about those kids? They just continue to suffer, get into drugs or gangs or suicide. Was this the intent of the Legislature when it passed this absurd law? There were certainly some “good intentions” when this law was thought up. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions, as we all know. Dr. Victoria Martin is convinced this is one of the bricks on that road.
There are other and better ways to ensure that our students learn what they should to pass in school. Many of those are already in place such as periodic testing to ensure the quality of education and mandatory testing for everyone prior to graduation. Art, music and athletics should be treated as if they are as important as math, science and history because they are. For some kids they are more important both in school and in life.
Dr. Martin is encouraging everyone to help to reverse this destructive law and make life meaningful again for our students in public education!
My son went into a deep depression when he was not allowed to participate in UIL activities due to an Incomplete in one of his classes. NO PASS, NO PLAY should be changed or completely done away with. To deprive a talented student of his one area of success is cruel, harsh, and not beneficial. I read an article about No Pass, No Play that said the policy sent a powerful message that Academics Come First. No, THEY DON’T come first to a talented musician, artist, or athlete. There is also NO accommodation for students suffering from depression and ADHD — at least I was told there was not. What can we do to repeal or fix this law? If students fail, why not send them to mandatory tutoring or set up mandatory study groups for them instead of immediately banishing them? I would be very interested in participating in any group that is willing to fight NO PASS, NO PLAY.
I am a school superintendent and I completely agree with you. I continue to work on my school board to change these ridiculous policies that punish kids. I have submitted a policy that makes mandatory tutoring the consequences for having a failing grade. It is very difficult to get people to think differently about something that they have been programmed to believe is a good thing, but in reality isn’t.
I so wholehardedly agree with all of the above comments. Today my elementary school choir in the Katy ISD School District went on a trip to perform for a senior citizens’s community and local business partner . 8 of my 44 members were not allowed to attend because of the TEA/UIL regulations regarding no pass/no play. Most of these students were Hispanic (I am not sure if language played a part in their grades).All of these students are very good students (never a discipline problem). I have spent so many sleepless nights with concern for these students. I have taught music for 35 years in Texas and Katy ISD and there has never been an issue that concerns me more. Some of these kids have been already told they can’t be on safety patrol because of failing grades. We are a Title I school with many low income families. I could go on and on with the unfairness of this but I just simply don’t know what to do. This is the only issue th
(cont.) This is the only issue that has made me question why do I keep teaching: ( I have taught for 35 years). I have seen so many of my former students go on to be successful (some in the music field, and other in other fields) I have even had students tell me that being in choir helped them have confidence and self-esteem in their chosen field. I feel this law is detrimental to all students in Texas but why do elementary students have to follow the rule for extracurricular activities (like a choir trip).
I am so pleased to find this site and to hear so many people questioning this law. I am a single mother to a 15 year old daughter with ADHD. She failed English this last 6 weeks, so she has been told she is ineligible to play on her high school soccer team. Of course we are devastated. She has problems taking tests and there have been stories circulating about her English teacher and concerns about her teaching ability or lack thereof. I have written a request for a proposal to change the UIL rule on the UIL website, citing research linking physical activity to better academic performance, but my main argument is I don’t see how punishing a child in this way helps them academically. I have proposed that a student get madatory tutoring and that the teacher also be held accountable/reviewed, along with other members of the class who may have failed, to identify root cause and come up with an academic oriented solution. We have a meeting scheduled with her English teacher, the school counselor and other staff later this week to talk about the grade she received, but I’d be curious to know what progress, if any, has been made by any of you or anyone else out there opposing the law? How can we all band together to get it overturned? Thank you.
My gifted middle school daughter, who is struggling in geometry despite private tutoring, countless extra workbooks and help from me and other family members was told in another class, in front of other students, that she was not allowed to go on the 8th grade Fine Arts trip that day because of her math grade! We are new to Texas, and had no clue that such a cruel and unethical law could exist. She was shamed, embarrassed and humiliated — as if being 1) a young teen 2) new to the state and trying to make friends and fit in 3) feeling like a failure because she cannot “get it” in geometry despite being a smart kid (many, many tearful nights because of that all year). The teacher’s statement revealed her math grade to everyone in another class!! That’s unforgivable.
Not only should the law be changed IMMEDIATELY, the teacher who informed her that way should be fired immediately. We are looking into filing charges against her personally, the principal and the school (Canyon Vista Middle in Round Rock ISD) for damages. What in the heck kind of state did we move to???